Charles schlatter



(No Model.)

G. SGHLATTER.

STOP WATCH.

WITNESSES: 1 I Z w c f wvmron XM/Z (fig r. M4 m EYS.

Arrok 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES SCHLATTER, OF IIOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND PROSPER NORDMANN, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

STOP-WATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,396, dated April 22, 1890.

Application filed July 26, 1889. Serial No. 318,766- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES SCHLATTER, of I-loboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, a citizen of Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stop-WVatches, of which the following is a specification.

In stop-watches with split-quarter-seconds hands the split-quarter seconds hand is stopped or started by means of a so-called split brake, which is applied to or removed from a disk on the arbor of the split-quarterseconds hand, said disk and brake being located either below or at the top of the move ment, and operated in connection with the well-known double pawl-and-ratchet mechanism by which the starting, stopping, and returning of the quarter-seconds hand in stopwatches of this class is usually accomplished. The split brake is pivoted to one of the plates of the movementand hasthe disadvantage that when it is applied to the disk on the arbor of the split-quarter-seconds hand it impedes to some extent the free motion of the quarterseconds hand, as the arbor of the split hand exerts a slight frictional contact, and thereby a slight retarding action on the tubular arbor of the quarter-seconds hand. This retarding action on the quarter-seconds hand is caused by the brake, which, though capable of yielding to the motion of the arbor of the quarterseconds hand in a lateral directionthat is to say, in a direction concentric to the pivotpin of the brakecannot yield to the motion of the arbor of the quarter-seconds hand in a direction longitudinally to the brake or in directions intermediately between the lateral and longitudinal directions.

The object of this invention is to provide means by which the above-described objection is overcome and the brake of the splitquarter-seconds hand applied in such a manner that the arbor of the split-quarter-seconds hand can freely follow the motion of the arbor of the quarter-seconds hand without exerting any frictional or retarding action on the same.

For this purpose the invention consists, in a stop-watch, of the combination, with the arbor of the quartenseconds hand, of the arbor of the split-quarter-seconds hand,a disk on said arbor, and a split brake engaging said disk and applied by a double pivotal connection to the movement, so that the brake, disk, and arbor of the split hand can freely follow the movement of the arbor of the quarter-seconds hand in any required direction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front view of a stop -watch made according to my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are detail rear views of the movement, showing the brake for the split-quarter-seconds hand and itspivotal connection with the movement. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line mm, Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a detail top view of a modified form of brake, shown detached from the movement.

Similar letters of reference indicate correpondin g parts.

Referring to the drawings, A A represents a watch-movement provided with a split-see onds timing attachment of any approved c011- struction. In this timing attachment the tubular arbor b of the quarter-seconds hand B passes through the tubular arbor a of the minutes-hand a and is operated in the usual manner in stop-watches. Through the tubular arbor of the quarter-seconds hand B passes the arbor d of the split-quarter-seconds hand D, said arbor carrying at its opposite end a brake wheel or disk d. The split-quarterseconds hand D is operated like the quarterseconds hand B by the well-known operating mechanismthat is to say, started with the quarter-seconds hand, stopped, made to fly back to the quarter-seconds hand, and returned with the same to the starting-point. When the split-seconds hand D is to be stopped for timing purposes, a split brake C is applied, which is provided with wedgeshaped projections that bind on the circumference of the disk (1', as shown clearly in Fig. 2. When both the split-seconds and quarter-seconds hands move together, the brake C is released from the disk d, which is accomplished by spreading the forked ends of the brake apart by the usual mechanism, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the wedge-shaped projections release the disk d and permit the free movement of the arbor of the split-quaroer-seconds hand. The split brake O is retained by means of a bridge E, which is attached to a fixed post 6, and in which, also, the bearing for the end of the arbor oi": the splitquarter-seconds hand is arranged. The split brake O is. pivoted to a pivot-pin f, which is not applied directly to the movement, as heretofore, but supported on a short arm f, which is pivoted to the movement sidewise of the split brake C, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This double connection of the brake 0 enables the same to give laterally the same as the old construction of brakes for fly-backs, but also permits the same to give longitudinally, thus preventing it from retarding or impeding the motion of the quarter-seconds.hand in the least. If the brake were only so mounted as to give laterally, it might happen that the same exerts a pressure in the direction of the length of the brake, and this pressure would be sufficient to retard the movement of the quarter-seconds hand, thereby making the stop-Watch to a certain degree imperfect. In order to remove all possibility of thus retarding the quarter-seconds hand, the brake is mounted so that .it can give in the direction .of its length, thus avoiding the above difl'iculty. This motion of the brake may also be obtained by the construction shown in Fig. 5, in which the end of the brake is recessed and applied to a fixed pivot-pin 011 which the brake can swing in every direction in the same manner as by the double-pivoted connection described. By the free play given to the brake G the same is enabled to yield to the motion of the disk on the arbor of the split-quarter-seconds hand, so as to follow the same whether in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the split brake or in a direction at right angles to the same, or in a direction intermediately thereto. Consequently the quarter-seconds hand moves without beingin the least impeded by any frictional or retarding action of the arbor of the split-quarterseconds hand, whereby the more reliable and regular action of the quarter-seconds hand andsplit-quarter-secondshandin stop-watches is obtained.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a split-seconds stopwatch, a brake for the disk of the arbor of the split-quarter-seconds hand connected to the movement by a pivot-j oint having a free longitudinal and lateral motion, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a stop-watch, with the arbor of the quarter-seconds hand and the arbor of the split-quartcr-seeonds hand, of a disk on the arbor of the split-qt:artcr-secouds hand and a split brake applied to said disk and connected by a double-pivoted joint to the movement, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a stopwatch, with the arbor of the quarter-seconds hand and the arbor of the split-quarter-seconds hand, of a brake-wheel on the arbor of the split-quarterseconds hand and a split brake applied to said disk, said split brake being pivoted to one end of an oscillating arm which is pivoted to the movement, substantially as set forth.

' In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses,

CHARLES SCHLATiEl-t \Vitnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, W. REIMHERR. 

